Being Flexible, I Wish I Were Here, And Needing Travel!

Happy Friday! Welp. Yesterday’s run did NOT go initially as planned. You know how you sometimes just have a feeling that somethings off or you just get distracted a little too easily? Yeah. that was definitely my morning. I didn’t sleep super well because there’s a light outside of our condo that is supposed to be a sensor light, but instead of going off sometimes it just stays on all night (and proceeds to illuminate our entire room). Alex can honestly sleep through anything, but I need basically complete darkness! So needless to say, I was tired when my 4am alarm went off (as well as already partially awake) and then I just took forever to get ready for my run. I drank coffee, cuddled in my heated blanket, ate breakfast, did my strength work, contemplated where I should do my goal marathon paced miles, and before I knew it- Alex was awake and it was 5:45?!?

Yeah, I guess I got very easily distracted. I also should have stuck to my initial plan of leaving at 5am and doing my run on the treadmill.

I finally left our house around 6:15 and got into Steamboat where it was almost 20* COLDER than our home?!? AKA it was 4* and I was NOT wearing the right layers. I did one slow mile (sooo icy out!) and called it.

Luckily, I had a bit of flexibility in my day and decided to just do easy miles and will do my long run this morning (hopefully outside if it’s warm enough!- second week of back-to-back longish runs for my 50 miler training!) and do my goal paced miles on Sunday. It actually works out for the best because I was a bit concerned about getting in 8 miles Saturday morning before we left for our ski adventure and now I’ll have just 5 to get in instead (much more manageable!).

I’m glad I was so flexible about my schedule, but wow did some curveballs try to deter me from my run or what?!? Isn’t it funny how determined we (as runners are)? I know a lot of people who honestly would have just bagged their entire workout plans, but I’m glad that my stubbornness didn’t let me!

ALSO- I’m following along on all those RunDisney marathon weekend posts (and proceeding to be SO JEALOUS). Throwback to the time that I signed up for the Goofy Challenge and then ran 13.1 miles in the dark along a 3/4 mile strip on the road (finishing at 11:30pm) when the half marathon was cancelled due to crazy hurricane-like rain/wind/lightning! I will 100% do the Dopey Challenge someday. It’s on my bucketlist! Hmmm maybe a good ‘last hoorah’ before I turn 30 in 2020?!?

THIS VIEW was by far the best view I think I’ve ever had during any marathon. It was around mile 5? I think and so unbelievably beautiful before the sun came up. I want to go back just to experience it again (even though it was SO COLD and windy the entire race).

I’m super excited to travel somewhere tomorrow (other than Steamboat)- I feel like it’s really easy to get stuck here in town in the winter. It’s so much easier to travel in the Summer and everything just feels more accessible. I miss little things like a trip to Target or Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee or Trader Joes! I don’t think we’ll be driving by any of these things, but just going somewhere else is all I really need! Ohhh TBT to donuts after half marathons….yummm… Also almost complete committed to signing up for my goal half marathon here in CO- still trying to decide! Anyone else plan out their entire racing season like a year in advance?

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Favorite post-race treat?

Are you flexible with your training plans or like to stick to a strict schedule?

Anyone racing Disney or do you also wish you were there?1?

I Can't Wait For This, A New Tradition, & Effort vs Pace?

Happy Friday-eve! While I anticipated that this week was going to move at snail-speed, I honestly cannot believe that tomorrow is Friday. I can’t wait for the weekend- we’re planning to go ski at a new-to-me mountain here in Colorado! Yay! I love a good adventure. I’m also equally excited for Spring- it’s felt warm(er) here (aka it’s getting to the low 30’s during the day here) and I can’t wait to get out on some trails to explore again! Spring races cannot come soon enough. Plus, I also can’t wait to not take an extra 15 minutes putting on all layers, shoe cleats, mittens, hats, hand-warmers. Going out for an early morning winter run takes so much work. Honestly that’s why I also really love the treadmill in the winter- ha. It’s so freeing to just run with shorts and a t-shirt.

I have incorporated a new habit before my harder weekday runs- getting up a bit earlier to enjoy some coffee while watching the news and cuddling under my heated blanket. It really is so fantastic and honestly worth it to get up a bit earlier. Anyone else do this or am I just crazy getting up at 4am rather than 4:30 just to snuggle downstairs instead of in my bed?

I also hit all of my paces on my speedwork on Tuesday and have a 6-mile goal marathon pace effort run this morning with a 1.5 mile warm-up and 1.5 mile cool-down. I’ve switched my mentality from having it be a “pace-specific” run to an “effort-specific” run because maybe it’s icy outside or maybe there’s a few hills or maybe I’m just a bit off today, BUT if I’m still getting to the effort (aka what marathon pace should feel like with my body) then I consider it a success. It’s all about working on that mindset for me this training cycle. Plus I’m reading this book (finally got it after being on the library waitlist for over 7 weeks!) and loving how she describes building her confidence.

Alex and I had a lunch date yesterday at Winona’s (they literally have the BEST buffalo chicken salad in town) and it was amazing. We used to do this all the time when we first started dating, but since living together it hasn’t been as often. I’m so glad we got to enjoy their salads again.

Also Stella had a very healthy lunch yesterday as well.

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Marathon Pace vs marathon effort- what do you think?

Best lunch spot where you live?

What’s the last book you read?

Eugene Marathon Training Week 2 RUNdown 12/31-1/6!

Back to above 40 miles per week! Also last week was SO COLD. Multiple negative temperature mornings, which meant getting a bit creative with when I could fit my runs in. I did my best to run outside when I can, but I generally do not run outside when it’s below 5* (give or take). I also have determined that it takes FOREVER to get all those layers/ stabil icers on my sneakers/ hats/ mittens/ hand warmers on, so sometimes sheer laziness wins out and I hit the treadmill. What can I say- somedays it’s just pretty nice to wear just a sports bra, shorts, and binge watch some Gilmore Girls. I’m human.

just too cold to really be doing anything besides cuddling with the cats and heated blanket.

Also got a belated Christmas gift from my mom- looove these lush bath bombs. I’m trying not to use them all at once (also trying not to take a bath every single night to save on our water bill, but it’s HARD because cold temperatures + soothing warm water + great smelling bath soaps = baths are so necessary).

It’s finally starting to quiet down a bit at work (so needed), but I also found that taking a runch break last week really helped de-stress me. Most days I’m unable to take a lunch break (due to teaching skating lessons in the afternoons), but when I can get out it feels pretty amazing. Let’s recap last week shall we?

Monday, 12/31: planned 6 miles easy, but wanted to get in a good ‘end of the year mileage number’ so I ended up with 6.81 miles at 10:45 pace on the treadmill because I just re-did my treadmill run and wanted to take advantage of it!

Tuesday, 1/1: planned 1.5 mi warm-up, 12 x 400m, 1.5 mi cool down, but actually did my strength and then called it a rest day. I was feeling really exhausted and had the complete day off of work so just decided to take advantage of it and listen to my body. It was amazing and so glad I did that. Not every run needs to be perfect and sometimes listening to your body will do wonders.

Wednesday, 1/2: planned rest day, but since I took my rest day on Tuesday I ended up doing 1/2 mi warm-up, 5 miles at goal marathon pace effort (because it was 5* outside at 2pm) 8:38 pace, 1/2 mi cool-down. Avg pace was 8:54 78’ up & also fit in some yoga. Felt pretty good until close to the end of the run, where I got so cold I had to check to make sure my nose didn’t fall off. Don’t worry it was still there.

Thursday, 1/3: 1/2 mi warm up, 5 miles goal marathon pace, 1/2 mi cool down, but did that yesterday so I stuck with 8.06 miles easy at 10:13 548’ elevation gain over my lunch break! Also fit in my strength (started a new strength routine on Tuesday and will stick with it until March then do a whole new one to prevent becoming stagnant) that morning before work. Sunshine + hills + 20* weather felt incredible.

Friday, 1/4: 12-14 miles easy, but had my first back-to-back long runs on schedule so to the treadmill it was (considering how it was -5* outside and I could only fit it in early in the AM)! Goal was anywhere from 12-14 miles and ended up with 12.5 miles. I varied the incline from 1% for the first 60 minutes then rotated through 1% -> 2% -> 3% rolling hills for the next 55 minutes. 9:40 avg pace. Also working on my nutrition! I tried out Huma Gels and LOVED them. I’ve got some Spring Energy gels coming too to test out. I also have found that sweet potatoes right before a run makes me feel AMAZING. I’m going to try out some sweet potato toast with almond butter before my runs this week and will let you know how it goes.

Saturday, 1/5: 4 miles easy- ended up with 4.10 miles easy at 10:31 453’ elevation gain. We went snowshoeing in the morning (great crosstraining) and my butt was SO sore from my incline treadmill the day before/ hiking in the morning.

Sunday, 1/6: 1.5 mi warm-up, 12 x 400 (400R), 1.5 mi cool-down & strength- 1.5 mi warm-up, did my strength, did 6 x 400 then called it because I felt my knee starting to feeling a bit not so great (and our treadmill isn’t the best for speedwork), .75 mi cool down. I came up short, but I’ll get it next week!

Total Mileage: 42.74 miles

Total Elevation gain: 1, 079’ up

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Favorite Bath bomb scents or bubble bath?! I’m obsessed.

Coldest temperature you’d head out for a run? Am I a big baby over here?

Favorite crosstraining activity?

Training Tuesday: Why Your Running FORM Is So Important

Monday: check. Tuesday: off to a new start! I’ve got another speedwork on tap this AM and then will do my first double workout Tuesday (will begin this new schedule with Tuesdays & Thursdays so I can get in both longer runs and strength! )- speedwork on the treadmill this morning then will get in my strength (& a mile or two run at home after work to flush everything out). Also very excited for my rest day tomorrow. Hoping it includes more of this view.

Also saw this answer to a Q & A on Instragram from Sally McRae (@yellowrunner on Instagram) and LOVED her response. Also totally boosted my confidence for my upcoming 50 miler in May!

SO I’ve been doing a bunch of reading of running-related books lately and they all seem to have a few common themes- one of which is running form! I’ve honestly never put too much emphasis on my running form- I have thought about driving my elbow back or running more on the front of my foot (as opposed to my heel), but overall it hasn’t played a huge part in my everyday running thoughts. BUT it is SO important. Why? Because it helps you save energy when running (really helpful for those long-distance runs), helps you get faster (you’re using less energy!), and helps prevent injuries (if you’re striking your heel or overusing certain muscle groups, you’re working them too hard and need to displace your weight more evenly).

One of the things that I’ve been focusing on lately is driving my knee up to the sky. I’ve never really thought about it so much unless I’m running over hurdles and things like that (i.e. on the trails so I don’t fall on my face from tree roots), but focusing on it has dramatically improved my overall paces. I’ve noticed that my butt and hamstrings are actually exhausted at the end of each run when I’m focusing on driving my knee from them (BUT they’ve already started to improve my running efficiency and they are getting less tired than they were a few weeks ago).

Here are few other great articles that help explain why running form is so important:

—> This one from Runner’s World talks all about the different focus points in your entire body to be thinking about. A lot to take in from one run to the next, but I think focusing on each area for a period of time before trying to add them all in together will really help!

—> This one from Active. Com wraps up a bunch of articles done by them regarding biomechanics, where the weight needs to fall on your foot when running, how to rethink your running form, etc. Great overall resources for specific questions that you may have regarding running form!

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What do you think of when you’re focusing on your running form?

Favorite way to spend a rest day from running?

Where do you primarily do your training runs?

Weekend Recap & Ever Feel This Way?

You know those days where you feel completely in-control and ready to tackle the world? Also, do you know those days where you’re like oh crap how am I going to tackle this?! Yeah. last night was kinda the latter. One of the things that really helps me when I feel this way is journaling, meditating, or just taking a brain break (reading/ cuddling with the cats/ watching a show that will de-stress me etc.). That’s why I love this blog because it gives me the opportunity to write out my thoughts. Sometimes I’m able to come up with a solution and other times, I decide that it isn’t really worth my time to find a solution and just move on (something that used to be really hard for me to do in the past!). Also seeing these faces certainly helps too ; )

Flashback to Friday night’s dinner. Homemade pizza with this Sourdough crust is SO good! PS we added more cheese after the photo because cheese is the best.

Current favorite dessert. Popcorn & Justin’s Dark Chocolate Mini PB Cups.

Saturday morning, we headed up Rabbit Ears and went show shoeing! It’s such a great way to cross train for those trail runs I’ll be doing later in the Spring and it’s so beautiful out there with the fresh snow.

Stella loves to eat anything….even snow.

Alex’s head looks very similar to a target here. It’s also really impressive how he can crouch down like that. Talk about being flexible.

In the afternoon, I took advantage of the 30* weather (it unfortunately was cloudy and not so sunny anymore, but still warmer than we’ve had!) and explored a different part of our neighborhood. I had 4 miles on the schedule and got to 4.1 and decided to walk the remaining 1/2 mile home rather than run extra. it’s been nice to not be on such a rigid schedule and listening to my body a bit more.

Made this recipe for dinner Saturday night. So so so delicious and so many leftovers!

Also finished another book. I also really love when you get to the last three pages of a book and find that they’ve been cut in half.

Favorite winter activity?

Send me your favorite Pinterest dinner recipe!

Favorite pizza toppings?